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[RC] Competitive Trail Riding horses treated? - rides2far

I think that the reason you often see horses not "built to do the 
distance" give a CTR a try, is they are looking for something else to
do with 
their horses, rather than go around in circles in an arena. I

Let me restate that. I'm not suggesting that NATRC (that's the only CT
I've been exposed to) horses are "inferior". There are definately some
darned good ones. I was trying to point out that their general population
of entries may be at a disadvantage as compared to endurance because the
people with borderline extreme muscling horses choose them. So, though we
may ride them faster, the fact that they might have more horses
predisposed to problems may bring the stress level overall closer
together. Is that clear as mud? :-P


t is very > rare for a> first time, or new rider to try the Open
division. 

So, if an endurance rider crosses over is it allowed to start in open?
Isn't that around 7mph?


In my years around distance rides, I have seen very few treatments 
of horses> at NATRC rides, and have not personally known of any that
died. 

I'll bet you most endurance riders not sitting at their computers have
not known of any personally that died. Like I keep saying...I've only
known one in 16 years. If AERC wasn't publishing it, and everyone on the
internet wasn't screaming it, I'd think it never happened either. As for
treatments. When I really think about it, the slackest  vetted ride that
I go to seems to have the fewest treatments. (none usually) I just wonder
if one of our really experienced vets from the SE had been there if
they'd have seen one they wanted to treat. I think our vets have gotten
very aggressive about treating...though it looks bad it is good for the
horses. Maybe none of the NATRC horses could use it. I doubt the NATRC
vets see many crash...but if they *did* see a few crash I wonder if
they'd decide to treat others more often "just in case".  I've been
surprised that the same vets don't seem to vet the 2 sports. I remember
one of our endurance was not happy when vetting the NATRC National
Championships when it was held here. I don't think he & their vets had
the same theories. They ought to have a forum with the vets from the 2
sports at the convention and compare notes.

And Angie, from your posts, you have been around a few NATRC rides 
it seems,> volunteering, and it is folks like you that these riders
could use 
to talk> to about distance riding. As you know, volunteers are often
hard to 
find. I> would love to see some cross over between CTRs and endurance, 
swapping> volunteer duties if they don't compete at both sports. 

Not nearly enough to speak with any authority. Maybe 5 ever and it's been
several years. They may have a whole new sport going for all I know. I
don't mind helping them out but their rides tend to be when I'm doing a
ride somewhere else. They feed us and often give us a little gift. It is
good to "visit" with each other. They seemed to have a good time with
each other and their horses, but when they (not the local CT people who
know us) heard I was an endurance rider...I don't know...maybe they feel
defensive or something. They tended to talk down to me.

They assume that if I do a 5 hour 50 it's because I don't know how to
rate my horse. Heck no. I MEANT to go 10 mph.  The ones on the less
conditioned horses were appalled that we would ask that of a horse. I
knew that at my horse's conditioning level he was doing his 10 mph easier
than their poor horse was doing his 5mph. I may be very behind in my
perception of their sport...but they were very behind in their perception
of ours. One lady had *really* nice horse with a rock bottom pulse that
was clearly running at about 25% capacity. When I checked him I said,
"Wow, he'd make a great endurance horse", which I meant as a compliment.
She acted offended and said, "Well he *won't* be. I'm not into that!"
They were still picturing the skinny horses of the 1970's and "sound at a
walk" completions. 

If CT *miles* counted towards endurance career miles I would consider
doing them. I want all those miles that I do anywhere in one lump, but I
doubt I'd worry much about scoring. My problem is I'm conceited. I don't
really *care* what their judge thinks. I think I know more than they do
so why should I? >eg<

Angie

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